Join Giovanni Vecchio and Beatrice De Novo as they travel to a hidden island on the far edge of China to seek the help of an ancient immortal court. Can they weave their way through the tangled web of centuries-old alliances and ruthless feuds to find what they’ve been looking for? Friends will be revealed, enemies will find them, and a dangerous secret will come to light.

The third book in the Elemental Mysteries series will see Giovanni and Beatrice joined by a group of unlikely allies as they explore the history and myth of the far East. Many have been stolen, but only one holds the key.

The Force of Wind is the third book in the four-part Elemental Mysteries series. It is the sequel to This Same Earth and is a paranormal mystery/romance for adult readers. (Goodreads)

Review

Ok y’all, I have said it before and I am so happy to be saying it again I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! At the end of last year when I made my Best of 2011 list, A Hidden Fire was on it. I have no doubt that at the end of this year Elizabeth Hunter will be there again. Do I sound a little fan-girlish…um, that’s because I totally am. Elizabeth Hunter has a way of making a story tell itself so smoothly that before you even realize it you are so invested in all the characters’ lives that you can’t wait to see what is going to happen next. I have honestly offered to bake the woman pie to get a book early! Yeah, I know, I have no shame ;)

The Force of Wind is just that, a force, I felt every emotion in this installment of the Elemental Mysteries series. B and Gio are still in search of B’s father and the book that he possesses. The bulk of The Force of Wind is set in a hidden island on the far edge of China, where eight very important and very old vampires hold court. This place is huge and they just got a fancy new upgrade to the ancient island: an actual phone. (But there is only one phone line, so be careful what you say, people could be listening from other handsets) I enjoyed seeing Tenzin’s homeland as much as she hated being back there. The lay of the land, so to speak, helped in explaining all the vampire politics away.

I never would have expected to love Tenzin’s character as much as I do after reading The Force of Wind. There is no doubt to me where her friendships and loyalties lie after reading this book. The life that she has lived is simply incredible. I don’t know that I would have the strength to live through what Tenzin did in her mortal life, but maybe that is why she is such a fighter in her immortal life. It was refreshing to get a glimpse at Tenzin with her shields down and see she does have a vulnerable side.

There is a new character for fans to fall for in The Force of Wind. (No, I am not cheating on Carwyn! You will understand when you read the book.) Baojia, who is one of B’s grandfathers “children”, is a hot Asian assassin who’s sole job is to protect B and help train her. Guess who gets a crush?!?! Oh my gravy, that workout room was tense at times, but sometimes it was just downright funny.

“Would it be better if I just stayed practicing with the jian?”

“And be limited to one weapon? What do you think?”

“I think it’s always better to have options.”
Beatrice took a deep breath as her instructor stepped into her line of sight, eyeing her up and down as she moved.

“Yes, it is,” he said in a rough voice.
Beatrice blushed, not sure if they were still talking about swords.

“So,” she cleared her throat, “after this, do I get to try out the pike? I’ve been curious about that one spear with the thick base.”

“So many jokes,” she heard him mutter under his breath. She burst into laughter and stumbled, shaking her head when she saw his eyes dance.

“Okay, I walked into that one.”

I know what you’re wondering now: what about Gio and B? Well as you know, through the series Gio and B have had their ups and downs. They have gone through a lot. I can say that if you are a true fan you will not be disappointed. I have always believed Gio and B should be together but their character growth as a couple in The Force of Wind truly solidifies who they are to one another and who they will always strive to be.

I warn you now that The Force of Wind may make you ugly cry. (Yes, I am talking about myself.) Not all characters make it out of this one and it almost broke me. I want the next book in this series more than any other book, but at the same time I am dreading it because that means no more Elemental Mysteries series. Thankfully, there may be spinoff books.

Great review, Rebecca! I totally agree, this is one of the best series I've seen, and this title in particular was... wow. My review will be up shortly, so I will try not to rave too much about it now. Let's just say that if you're Carwyn's head fangirl... I'm applying for chairgirl of Baojia's! :P

Are you kidding me? I can't believe that this is my first time hearing about these. This is totally my kind of read. Thanks for the great review. It is going on my TBR right now. -FABR Steph@FiveAlarmBookReviews